Harbor Coalition Updates
April 2012...
The Harbor Coalition joined hundreds of North Jersey residents to celebrate Earth Day at Liberty State Park on April 21. The highly successful Earth Day fair, sponsored by the Hudson County Improvement Authority, marked the Coalition’s first public event and proved to be a great opportunity to introduce the campaign to boaters, paddlers, park-goers and waterfront enthusiasts of all types. To visit the Harbor Coalition table at an event in your neighborhood, visit our online calendar, and don’t forget to Sign the Harbor Act Petition while you’re there!
March 2012...
The Harbor Coalition traveled to Washington, DC, to meet with numerious Congressional offices and environmental policy experts to discuss the coalition's legislative agenda. In addition, the Harbor Coalition held more meetings with agencies from the region, as well as made an in-depth presentation to potential funders in New Jersey. Planning continued and has begun to take shape for the Harbor Coalition's involvement in MWA's 2012 Waterfront Conference on May 18 & 19. Check out our new calendar feature for more details on the Waterfront Conference and other events the Harbor Coalition will be attending.
February 2012...
The Harbor Coalition released the first edition of its new e-newsletter, which will become a regular feature as the Coalition steps up its regional campaign. In addition, the Harbor Coalition was featured on New Jersey Capitol Report with Emmy-award winning anchors Steve Adubato and Rafael Pi Roman, a program which is broadcast on PBS, NJTV, other local programming, and the Internet to more than 10 million households throughout the region.
January 2012...
The Harbor Coalition hired a political strategist, Global Strategy Group, to assist the Coalition in moving forward with the legislative agenda for the NY-NJ Harbor. In addition, the Harbor Coalition has announced its sponsorship and participation in Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance’s 2012 Waterfront Conference on May 18 & 19, which will include a plenary session on the Harbor Coalition’s campaign! View more information about the conference, entitled "Our Harbor: An Environmental Resource and Economic Engine," here.
December 2011...
The Harbor Coalition launched a search for a communications consultant to help create a public outreach campaign that will build support for the Coalition’s regional mission and legislative agenda. The Coalition also sent a letter to President Barack Obama outlining the campaign’s long-term goals and requesting support in his 2013 budget for certain restoration projects. A copy of this letter is available here.
November 2011...
The Harbor Coalition solidified its Government Affairs team in Washington, DC, a group that will be led by experienced staff members from the National Parks Conservation Association and the Trust for Public Land. Work also began to draft legislation that would stitch together comprehensive regional oversight and authorization for a wide range of projects to spur wetlands restoration, water quality improvements, urban parks creation and more equitable public access.
October 2011...
The Harbor Coalition is pleased to announce that the New Jersey Audubon Society has joined the campaign as the 11th member of the Steering Committee. NJ Audubon represents more than 22,000 Garden State members and brings to the table significant legislative experience, having been active in a recent effort to introduce federal legislation to create a comprehensive restoration program for the Delaware River estuary. Welcome NJ Audubon!
September 2011...
• Harbor Coalition representatives have been busy in Washington, DC, having met with staff members from the offices of more than a dozen federal elected officials, including the region’s four senators and congressmen from both political parties. A number of these leaders have already expressed interest in sponsoring a bill that would authorize a comprehensive, coordinated regional program to benefit the NY-NJ Harbor. Stay tuned for progress reports from our Government Affairs team!
• The Harbor Coalition launched an initial outreach effort to members of the public, government officials and other stakeholders. This has included coverage in various newsletters, an email blast to more than 10,000 organizations on both sides of the Hudson River and an appearance on a PBS public affairs show broadcast to more than 7 million households in the Mid-Atlantic. View the show here.